Gas-metering apparatus



L. A. FERGUSON AND H. SINES.

GAS METERING APPARATUS.

' t I V 7 APPLICATION HLE D mm. 191 7.

1,327,989, 4 Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET l- 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Patented J an. 13, 1920.

L. A. FERGUSON AND H. S. SINES.

GAS METERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24. 1917.

L. FERGUSON AND H. s. SINES. GAS'METERING APPARATUS.

. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2% I91?- I 1 327,989 7 Patented Jan. 13,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

% v a zi'c v zd 6. Saw/ea UNITED ST TES PATENT orrior..-

LOUIS A. FERGUSON, or EVANSTON, AND H ROLD S'. smns, or oAK PARK,ILLINOIS; SA D SINES ASSIGNOR T0 SAID FERGUSON.

GAS-METERING APPARATUS.

paratus and the object of our invention is to provide an apparatus ofthis class capable not only of recording the total amount of gasconsumed during a 1011 tlme period,

say one month, but also capa le of indicating the amount of gas consumedduring each one of a plurality of short time periods into which theaforesaid long time period is .divided. Our improved gas meteringapparatus not only records the total. gas consumpti'on during the longtime period but also records the gas consumption during each one of theseveral short time periods, which short time periods may be fifteenminutes, thirty minutes or one l1our,-et

cetera, or'any other suitable period, as desired. V I

The embodiment of our invention herein shown and described graphicallvrecords the consumption of gas durmg each one of the short time periodsinto which the long time period is divided whereby one reading the meterindications may not only know the total amount of gas consumed since theprevious reading but knows also the maximum consumption during theseveral short time periods into which the longtime period is dividedThus a. gas company utilizing the apparatus of my invention may chargeits customers-at rates dependent not only upon the total amount of gasconsumed but also dependent upon the maximum consump tion and the timeat which said maximum consumption occurs if desired.

Our invention is fully set forth in the following description and isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is afragmentary elevational' view of a gas meter provided with novel contactmechanism forming a part of the apparatus of our invention, certainparts Specification of Letters Patent.

shown in Fi 1, the cover for the meter apparatus shown in Fig. 4 beingpartially controlled by the contact making mechanism associated with themeter shown in Figs. 1 and 2-; 1

' Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the electro-magneticmechanism controlling the operation of the recording device; and

Fig. 6 diagrammatically illustrates the circuit connections andelectromagnetic de-' vices whereby the recording device shown in Fig. 4Lis controlled by the contact mecha-' nism shown in Figs. 1 to 3 andclock con trolled mechanism to be hereinafter referred to.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, I have illustrated a standard gasmeter casingat 10, saidcasing beingprovided with a horizontal Wall orwalls by means of which the casing is divided into upper and lowercompartments. At 11 and 12 are illustrated the inlet and outlet pipesfor the gas meter, the pipes 11 and 12 being connected with suitablewell known mechanism within the lower compartment of the casing 10,capable of oscillatingshafts 13 and 14: as the gas. Fixed to flowsthrough pipes 11 and 12. each of the shafts 13 and 14 is a lever 15,each of the levers 15 being connected by means of a link 16 with a crank17 fixed to a vertical shaft having rigidly mounted thereon a worm 18.As is well known .to those skilled in the art, as shafts 13 and ll areoscillated the worm 18 is driven at a'rate proportional to-the rate atwhich gas flows through the pipes 11 and 12. If desired,

means illustrated at 19 may be provided to prevent the crank 17-be1ngturned in reverse direction.

Patented Jan.'13,-1920.

Substitute for application Serial No. 872,713. filed November 18, 1914.I 'lhis application filed January 24, Serial No. 144,123. v

gas metered during the several short time Cooperating with the worm 18is a pinion '20 mo-unted upon a horizontal shaft 21 having the inneuendthereof journaled in a bracket 22 and the other end thereof operativelyconnected with integrating mechanism capable of indicating the totalamount of gas passed through the gas meter.

The mechanism just described does not differ materially from devicesofthe prior art,

but we havethought it best to briefly describe this mechanism in orderthat the operation of the improved mechanism wlnch we provide forrecording thequantities of periods, may be readily understood. As

will presently impossible, with any degree of safety, to-

provide contact mechanism in proximlty to the gas within the casing dueto the spark ing which inevitably occurs when the contacts are operated.

The cont-act mechanism referred to is 10- caltecl.\vitl1in' a housingsupported by the meter casing 10 but spaced therefrom by a plurality ofposts The housing preferably comprises spaced side plates 2-1 and 25 anda cover 26, which may have a glass pane if desired. Having its inner endconnected by suitable gearing with mechanism supported by the. casing 10ls'a shaft 27 which passes freely through the plate 24 and has its outerend journaled in the plate 25. Fixed upon the outer end of the shaft 27is a ratchet wheel 27 en gaged by a spring pressed retaining pawl 28carried by the plate Mounted in the plates 24 and 25 and disposedparallel to the shaft 27 is a second shaft 29 having fixed thereon aspur gear 30 cooperating with a similar gear 31 fixed upon the shaft 27.Loosely disposed on the shaft 29 is a sleeve having rigidly attachedthereto a gear 33 and a contact operating cam 34 arranged when rotated'to operate contact springs 35 mounted in a block of insulation 36carried by the plate 24.

At 37 (Fig. 3') we have. shown a coiled spring having its inner endfixed to the shaft 'be pointed out in detail the devices for recordingthe quantities of gas the lntegrating shaft 43 provided with a fan lat.The operation of the contact mechanism just described is as follows:

()wing to the gear ratios each time that a predetermined amount of gashas been inmake one revolution under the action of the'coiled spring 37in which power has previously been stored, due to the rotation oftheshaft 29.

As the cam ll rotates, the sleeve 32 and cam 3-1 of course rotate withit and the cam 34 closes the contact springs and permits them to openagain. The fan 14: steadies the operation of the parts and prevents thecam fil from being turned too rapidly.

The mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5 comprises a base 50,supporting chronometer mechanism arranged tov operate a cam 51 atpredetermined intervals. The cam 51 may be arranged to be operated atintervals vof fifteen minutes, thirty minutes or one hour, et cetera, asdesired. The cam 51 operates a pair of contact springs 52 controllingthe circuit for an electromagnet 53, the function of which willpresently be made apparent.

Driven at a constant rate by the chronometer mechanism are rollers 54and 55 which support a record sheet 56. The record sheet 56 ispreferably so treated that when a pointed recording instrument to behereinafter referred to is moved across the sheet a line will be made onthe sheet. Ve have not thought it necessary to illustrate. the mechanisminterposed between the clock work and the rollers 51 and 55 inasmuch asany one skilled in the art to which-our invention relates may supplyoperative mechanism for driving the rollers 54 and 55 at a constantrate. At 57 we have shown a supply roller that may be used to carry the.supply of paper passed OVQI the rollers 54 and 55.

As is clearly illustrated in Fig. 4c the base 50 is provided with twohorizontal shelves 58 and 59 and it is in these shelves. that therollers 51 and 55 and 57 are mounted.

At. (30 we have illustrated a rack provided at its lower end with ablock 61 having adjustably mounted therein a stylus 62 arranged toengage the record sheet 56. In order to provide a guide for the stylus62 we provide guide rods 63 located one on each side of the rack 60. Theblock 61 carrying the stylus 62 is provided with apertures through whichthe rods (33 extend. In the drawings we have illustrated but one of therods 63, but in practice. as before stated. we find it desirable toemploy two rods, one on each side of the rack 60. The

' upper end of the stylus carrying rack 60, the

said rack also extending through an opening in the shelf 58.

Supported by the solenoid core 67 is a bracket 68 upon' which ispivotally mounted a pawl 69. A spring 70.normally tends to force thepawl into engagement with the teeth of the rack 60 but the pawl isprovided with a shoulder, which when the solenoid is in normal positionengages a pin 71, the pawl being thus normally held out of engagementwith the rack 60.

Supported by the upper shelf- 58 and guided by a bracket 72 is a'detentrod 73 having a beveled end arranged to engage the stylus carrying rack60. As is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 the rod 73 is formedintegral with an armature 74 for the electromagnet 53. A spring 7 5tends todraw rack 60..

noid core is actuated as set forth, the pawlthe armature 74 to theright, thus holding the detent rod 73 in engagement with the Byreferring to Fig. 4 it will be apparent that for each energization ofthe solenoid 65 the core'67 will be moved upwardly until it abutsagainst the pin 71. When the sole- 69 of course engages the rack andadvances the same one step, the spring 75 associated with the armature74 yielding to permit the I detent rod 73 to move to the left as therack 61 is raised.

The mechanism illustrated in Fig. 4 may be and preferably is providedwith a glass cover but we have not thought it necessary to illustratethis cover in the drawing. l

Referring to Fig. 6 it will be noted that in this figure, we havediagrammatically illustrated the'circuit connections whereby therecording stylus 62 is controlled by the chronometer mechanism and theintegrating train of the gas meter illustrated in detail in Figs. 1 and2.

As has been hereinbefore pointed out the cam 34 associated with thecontacts 35 is operated every time a predetermined amount of gas haspassed through the gas meter, or in other words, the cam 34 is advancedby its associating driving mechanism every time the integratingmechanism of the gas meter has been advanced a predetermined amount.When the contacts 35 are closed by the cam 34 a circuit is closedthrough concontinues to be operated the stylus 62 moves upwardly on therecord sheet 56. v

The chronometer mechanism is arranged to operate the cam 51 at the endof equal short periods of time, and when the cam is thus operated acircuit is closed through conductor from the positive pole to thebattery 81, conductor 84, contacts 52, conductor 85, electromagnet 53,conductor 86 and conductor 83 back to the negative pole of the battery.When this circuit is established the electromagnet 53 is of courseenerglzed and its armature 74 is drawn to the left, thus disengaging thedetent 7 3 from the rack 60 and permitting the rack and stylus to dropto initial position by gravity.

Referring to Fig. 6 of the drawing wherein the curve traced by thestylus 62 upon the.

chart 56 is illustrated, the distances between the points a and b, and band c are the distances through which the chart travels during thepredetermined short intervals of time, these distances being of equallength. The marks d are made by the stylus during the interval of timerequired for the consumption of the first predetermined quantity of gas.When this quantity of gas has been consumed the solenoid 65 is energizedby the closing of the contacts 35, causing the stylus 62 to rise andmake the vertical line 6 upon the chart. The lengths of the lines d are,therefore, proportional to the interval of time during which thepredetermined quantity of gas is consumed and the sum of the lengths ofthe lines e is proportional to the quantity of gas consumed during thepredetermined short time intervals. Since the line f is equal to the sumof the lengths of the line 6 this line is also proportional to thequantity of gas consumed during the predetermined short time intervaland indicates the maximum amount of gas consumed durin this short timeinterval.

ile we have shown our invention in the particular embodiment hereinshown and de' scribed, we do not limit ourselves to this arrangement,but desire toclaim any equivalent constructions coming within the termsand spirit of the appended claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

' tegrating train of the gas meter,

by the gas meter during any one of a number of intervals of time,electromagnetic mechanism for operating said recording device, a circuitfor said electromagnetic mechanism, quickly acting contacts included insaid circuit, a shaft driven from the ina cam for operating saidcontacts loosely mounted on said shaft, a spring interposed between theshaft and cam, means normally preventing said cam from moving under theaction of said spring and means for permitting the spring to actuate thecam when a predetermined amount of gas has been measured and integratedby the gas meter.

2. Apparatus for measuring and recording the consumption of gascomprisinga gas meter for measuring and recordmg the quantity of gasconsumed during a long time pe riod, means arranged to carry a recordsheet,

chronometer mechanism arranged to advance said record sheet at a uniformrate, a recording device arranged to indicate the greatest amount, ofgas integrated by the meter during any one of a number ofintercontrolled means vals of time, said recording device comprising astylus, a rack fixed to said stylus, a solenoid having a hollow corethrough which said rack extends, a pawl carried by the core arranged toengage said rack when the solenoid is energized, a detent for said rack,a circuit for said solenoid, contacts included in said circuit, meansdriven by the gas meter for operating said contacts, and chronometer forwithdrawing said detent from engagement withthe rack at'regularlyrecurring intervals .of time.

In witness whereof, wehereunto subscribe our names, in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 11th day of January, A. D. 1917.

LOUIS A. FERGUSON. HAROLD S. SINES.

Witnesses to the signature of Louis A.

Ferguson:

D. N. MILLER, NORMAN KREPPEL. I

Witnesses to the signature of Harold S. Sines:

R. L. BAYNE, H. L. STRoM.

